HARTFORD, Conn. — The Smith College cross country team opened its 2026 season on Saturday with a fifth-place finish out of 11 teams at the Trinity Invitational, scoring 142 points in a 5,000-meter race that drew 138 finishers.

Lucy Kreipke (Princeton, NJ/Princeton) led the Bears for the second straight fall, crossing in 19:24.3 to place 14th overall. First-year Hadley Smith (North Yarmouth, Maine/North Yarmouth Academy) followed close behind in her collegiate debut, taking 16th in 19:32.6, and sophomore Avery Maiese completed Smith's front pack with a 25th-place finish in 19:41.2. The trio put three Bears inside the top 25 and kept Smith within striking distance of the podium through the opening two splits.

Senior Sofia Jurusz (Wildwood Crest, NJ/Middle Township) was Smith's fourth scorer in 20:17.3, and junior Amelia Gronert closed out the scoring five in 20:33.8. The Bears averaged 19:53 across their top five and finished with a 1:09 spread between their first and fifth runners — the fourth-tightest pack in the field.

Connecticut College won the team title with 42 points, followed by RPI (61), Trinity (77) and Coast Guard (89). Conn College swept the top three individual spots, led by Kiera Tallas in 17:33.2.

Smith returns to action Saturday, Sept. 19, when it hosts the Ellen O'Neil Invitational in Northampton at 10 a.m.

About Smith Athletics
Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information, log on to GoSmithBears.com and follow the Bears on Facebook and Instagram.